COLUMBUS, Ohio — A year ago, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ path to the College Football Playoff set many precedents for the sport’s new postseason process, many of which benefited the Buckeyes in their quest to capture the national championship.
In its attempt at defending its crown, Ohio State set another standard in the playoff process on Tuesday night.
That’s when the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2015 season were released, with the selection committee having to take into account the merits of a defending playoff championship for the first time. If Tuesday’s rankings were any indication, the Buckeyes won’t be receiving the benefit of the doubt based on last season’s accomplishments, as the top-ranked team in The Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches Poll found itself slotted third in the playoff’s premiere rankings of the 2015 campaign.
Ohio State trailed No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 LSU, while being ranked ahead of No. 4 Alabama in the initial rankings release.
As committee chair and Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long explained on the ESPN broadcast of the reveal, Clemson topping the Buckeyes as the top-ranked team came as a result of the Tigers possessing more quality wins than Ohio State at the moment.
“I think the quality of their victories and certainly the Notre Dame victory at home,” Long answered when asked what qualified Clemson as the No. 1 team. “They have four teams that have better than a .500 winning percentage record that they…
Continue Reading: OSU Doesn’t Get Champions Benefit of the Doubt in Initial Rankings
